The present invention relates to hand-held devices for applying lotions to the human body. In particular, the present invention is an improvement over other devices for applying lotion to a user's hard-to-reach areas of the body.
Applying lotions to the various parts of the body evenly and efficiently is a challenge for many people. Applying lotion to one's back presents a challenge for most people. Additionally, individuals who are unable to bend over or are otherwise limited in body movement will necessarily be unable to easily and efficiently apply lotions to other parts of their bodies, such as their lower extremities.
Hand-held devices used to apply lotions to the human body are known. They do not, however, relieve the challenge of applying lotions evenly and efficiently to various parts of the body for several reasons. First, many devices use a sponge or other absorbent material for the applicator head. Lotion applicator devices using a sponge or other absorbent material for the applicator head are inefficient in applying lotion. Because such an applicator head absorbs the lotion, much of the lotion put on the head does not end up on the user's body. Instead, the lotion soaks into the applicator head. As a result, not only is lotion wasted, but more lotion must be used by the user to gain full coverage of lotion on the desired body part. Because more lotion must be used, the user must purchase lotion more often. When medicated lotion is being used, such purchases can result in excessive cost to the user.
Second, because the sponge or other absorbent material retains lotion, absorbent applicator heads are difficult to clean. Inadequate cleaning may result in the growth of undesirable, and potentially harmful, bacteria on the applicator head. Additionally, because absorbent applicator heads hold lotion and are difficult to clean, if the user uses a device having such a head to apply medicated lotions, the user runs the risk of applying mixed medication lotion to one's self, due to an applicator not thoroughly cleaned, retaining old lotion. Finally, because sponges or other absorbent material cannot be easily cleaned thoroughly, any lotion applicator device using such a head, generally, will be limited to only one user.
Other lotion applicators have further disadvantages. Devices that use a sponge or other absorbent material for the applicator head are often very flimsy, with uneven surfaces, making the resultant lotion application uneven. Flimsy sponge or other absorbent material is often short-lasting, to the point where the heads must be changed frequently. Replacement heads may be costly or difficult to find.
Information relevant to attempts to address some of these problems can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,261 to LOPS; U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,418 to Steffen, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,281 to Pelfrey; U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,984 to Evans; U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,111 to Arispe; U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,497 to Abdo; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,455 to Per-Lee, et al.; however, they all disclose hand-held lotion applicator devices having the disadvantage of absorbent applicator heads for applying lotion to a person's body, such heads being made of foam, sponge or other absorbent material.
Each of U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,869 to Sullivan, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,512 to Knight; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,144 to Forsline do not relate to lotion applicator type of devices for the application of lotion to a person's body. Sullivan's '869 patent discloses a kitchen utensil with a specific, mandatory heat resistant silicone rubber head with a high durometer value that is not substantially flat or planar. Knight's '512 patent discloses a tool for a hair dresser to use an applicator like an artist uses a palette knife, to apply creams or lotions into the hair along the edge of the device, mandated to be used in a manner as a hair dressing comb. Forsline's '144 patent mandates a working surface for its paint brush artist's tool no larger than a maximum cross-sectional diameter of the handle. None of these devices suggest the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,669 to Godown discloses a device that uses a vinyl or other similar material for the applicator head, having an annular depression to control the spread of lotion. However, because the head surface is a pad made with an annular depression, it is not flat or planar and must be depressed against a relatively, large, flat area of the body, such as the back, to work efficiently. The material in the device's head, also, has a low durometer value, making the head flimsy, to accomplish the mandated resiliency, and not as efficient for the application of lotion to hard-to-reach areas of the body.
None of the references mentioned above are admitted to be prior art with respect to the present invention by their mention in this Background section.
There is, therefore, a need for a device that has a pliable blade for applying lotion to hard-to-reach areas of a user's body, which applies lotion in a continuous, uniform manner, does not absorb the lotion and is easily cleaned.